1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the restraint of cargo that is transported in the cargo bed of a pick-up truck, and, specifically to a novel multi-purpose apparatus that is attachable to the top of cargo bed side rails that can be used to restrain a variety of types of common cargo.
2. Description of Prior Art
A variety of devices have been invented over the years that can be attached to the cargo bed of pick-up trucks that increase truck utility. Franchuk (U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,375) discloses an adjustable mounting system to which eleven separate accessories can be attached. Hannes et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,504) discloses a bicycle rack that is mounted to the cargo bed side rails of a pick-up truck. Strother (U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,513) discloses a soft-shell cover for a pick-up truck that has a support structure that can be disassembled to fit in a bag for stowage when not in use. Although the prior art demonstrate the utility of a variety of accessory products, each with a unique feature or approach to restrain or protect cargo, they do not attempt to provide in a single stowable apparatus, a multi-purpose device that is suitable for restraining a wide variety of common cargo. It is this unmet need that the present invention fills.